Listen first

How to listen

Listening is part of my genetic makeup. Sure there are times my family will say that I am not listening to them but that is not who I am. According to the Myers-Briggs test, http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/jtypes2.asp I am introvert, introverts are listeners. Of the 4 metrics on the MB gauge my strongest trait is the Introverted trait. It does not necessarily mean I am shy; most people would not say that about me. However, it does imply that I get energy from within and am a good listener and like to listen.

I see this manifest itself in my daily relationships and communication. In meetings and class rooms I am the one taking notes and listening intently and soaking up all the information I can. Letting my mind understand and listen to what the speaker is trying to say. Once I have all the data then I respond, many times with another question or re-statement of what I heard.

lis·ten

Lis (a) n /

take notice of and act on what someone says; respond to advice or a request

Why does this matter? In our business we need to understand the wants and needs of our clients. We need to spend the time to get to know someone at a personal level and not assume anything. At Sell or Dwell? we take the time upfront to get to what is important and why. We don’t just jump in the car and see a bunch of houses right away. We want to know your goals, location, financial situation, style preference and timeline. By listening we can understand.

We care about you and where you will make your home. We want to think through the whole process and get to the best result. Because if we do, you will refer us to others and we are NEVER too busy to listen to one of your referrals.

What are your real estate goals? Do you need to Stage to Sell or Style to Dwell in your home? Give us a call, you might do a lot of talking because we are listening. 

Plan Your Work, Work Your Plan!

In 1984, as I headed off to college, my Father gave me a handwritten list where he had jotted down for me some “words of advice.” He called them suggestions. But, over the years I’ve referred to them time and time again and I’ve come to think of them as much more than “suggestions.”

I still have that little sheet written on yellow paper 32 years later. It is now kept safely in a plastic zip lock bag and although it is a little charred from my college roommate trying to light it on fire, it is one of my most prized possessions. One of my Father’s suggestions was: “Plan Your Work, Work Your Plan!” I realize that this is nothing that most of us haven’t heard for many years. But, it is not always something we do. I continue to see the wisdom in the phrase.

#1 Undergraduate International Business program in the US

Last week I saw a perfect example of how this mantra can lead to success. Our daughter, Carter, was accepted into the #1 Undergraduate International Business program in the US. This achievement wasn’t all luck or even just good grades. This achievement is the culmination of a well-thought out plan that took years to execute. Carter researched, engaged in self-analysis, strategized and spent the time needed to come up with a good plan.

check and mate

It started back in 8th grade. She had heard a little bit about the International Baccalaureate program in high school and decided to get involved. Step 1, check. After Sophomore year at Nease (the top high school in Florida’s No.1 school district) the next part of the plan came together when she was accepted into the Rotary Youth Exchange program and spent a year in Peru. Step 2, check. When college application time came around she was accepted to seven schools. She chose her #1 choice, the real USC, University of South Carolina. Step 3, check. After researching the best way to be accepted to the program after Sophomore year, Carter determined the least number of applicants were fluent in Portuguese. So, already fluent in Spanish, she then learned Portuguese. Step 4, check. Great grades, two languages, an IB diploma from high school sounds like enough. But, Carter added strategic meetings with influential people to the plan. Step 5, check and mate. She was accepted and now the next plan begins. Her mother and I look forward to finding out what the next plan is. We know it will be successful because she planned her work and she worked her plan.

These are skills that can be learned and we’d like to think that Carter learned at least some of them from us!

we’ve got you covered in Jacksonville!

At Sell or Dwell? we take pride in setting a plan for your needs. It might be to make your home look it’s best through Staging or Styling. Check. You might need to rent a new home or rent out the one you are living in now. Check. You might need to buy your next home or sell the one you are living in today, check and mate for Sell or Dwell?.

Whatever your Real Estate needs are; whether you’re “Selling or Dwelling”... we’ve got you covered in Jacksonville!

Staging to Live (or Sell!)

“Make the change while you are still in the home”

As a Real Estate professional and a “Chief Picture Hanger” at Sell or Dwell?  -  I see more and more often people making changes to their homes when they are trying to sell the home. My thought is, “Why not make the change while you are still in the home and enjoy the changes?”

There is a lot of discussion about the benefits of staging a home for sale. Some realtors say it is not worth the money, others do quasi-staging with a few basic instructions to the seller and others are “all-in” with a complete home make over. Something to think about is:  to look at your home with an eye to marketing your home for sale every day. Let’s face it, unless we’re bequeathing it to our children, most of us at some point, are going to sell. So, why not enjoy the benefits of having your home look its best -  while you’re living in it - don’t just make the house look it’s best for someone else!

Enjoy the benefits of having your home look its best

Take a look at your kitchen, bathroom and floors. Are there things that you can do that would make the home a better place to live today and at the same time make it more marketable to the next person to purchase your home? Can you do a basic bath update and update the current counter top and replace it with granite, marble or quartz? Are the light fixtures and mirrors still the builder grade that were installed a decade ago? What about the cabinets – are they “builder oak?”

Some of the things people are looking for in a bathroom today:

·         91% of people are looking for high-efficiency toilets

·         91% of homeowners replace their master bathroom sink

·         58% of homeowners aged 45+ install two sinks

·         61% of people who remodel the bathroom start from scratch

·         79% of people prefer a glass shower door over a shower curtain

Live those pictures everyday instead of letting the next occupant of your home enjoy the makeover

Many of these things seem like common sense but why do we wait to do them until your realtor walks in with fresh eyes and asks you to make the changes? It is your house to live in and enjoy today! You should be the one to benefit from those upgraded fixtures and beautiful granite counters. Why can’t your home be the envy of the neighborhood instead of the envy of the home buyer?

At Sell or Dwell? we do home styling and staging as part of our real estate service. We get to see homes in all stages and ages and we truly believe that the impression your home makes in pictures on the internet matter. Live those pictures everyday instead of letting the next occupant of your home enjoy the makeover.

Thanks for reading and as always,

Happy Staging!